International Federation of Journalists

The country is still as unsafe as it was a year ago, when Raza Rumi was attacked.

It was on this day exactly a year ago that our colleague and friend Raza Rumi luckily escaped a brazen murder attempt on his life. While Raza received only minor injuries, his young driver lost his life, for no fault of his. Raza’s car was sprayed with bullets by six men from a close distance as he was on his way home after recording a show that he anchored on Express News. A few months later, six “target killers” allegedly belonging to the anti-Shia Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LeJ) were arrested.

Supposedly they had claimed responsibility for the killing of popular Shia leaders as well as the attack on Raza for his anti-LeJ and anti-Taliban views.

Raza was and remains a liberal and outspoken voice on politics, society, culture, militancy, human rights and persecution of religious minorities. Maybe this was the reason those disagreeing with his views wanted him to go silent. Raza is thankfully alive, but has anything changed even though a year has passed since the attack? Continue reading →

March 28 marks the first anniversary of the attack on Pakistani blogger and prominent political commentator Raza Rumi. Once a contributor to Global Voices, Rumi was added to the Taliban’s hit list after he opposed government peace talks with the militant group in 2014. His moderate views also have been misinterpreted by some as anti-Islamic. When two gunmen opened fire on Rumi’s car at a market in Lahore, his 25-year-old driver and confidant was killed. Rumi departed for the US shortly thereafter, at the urgings of family and friends.

ISLAMABAD: Lambasting the deadly attack on the anchorperson, Raza Rumi, in Lahore, the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) and the National Press Club (NPC) criticised the Punjab government for their flawed security arrangements.

The joint protest, held by the RIUJ and the NPC, demanded the Punjab government to constitute a special team to probe the matter and provide monetary aid for the slain driver and his injured bodyguard.

Speaking at the occasion, secretary general RIUJ, Bilal Dar, said that the journalists have been protesting since many months, but the government did not take it seriously.

“The government should take action against the culprits or we will be forced to hold a massive protest outside the Parliament,’’ he added. Continue reading →